This invention relates to a solar heating device, and more particularly to a roof-mounted solar collector device.
Solar collector panels of various types are well known in the art for collecting solar rays in a chamber in heat-conductive relationship with a circulating heat-transfer medium which transfers the heat to a heater device or a heat storage receptacle, such as a water heating system, a space heating system, or a heated swimming pool. A typical solar collector panel includes a chamber having a bottom wall, usually having a black surface for maximum absorption of heat, in heat-conductive relationship with a conduit, such as a coil for conveying or transferring a heat transfer medium, such as water or other fluid in liquid or gaseous form. The heat collecting chamber is usually covered by a translucent cover member, such as glass or translucent plastic to permit free entry of the solar rays and to inhibit reflection of the rays from the solar collector panel.
The concept of mounting a solar collector device on the roof of a building for trapping and converting solar rays into heat energy and also for utilizing waste hot air in the attic, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,515 of Robert I. Jacob et al. for "DUAL PHASE SOLAR WATER HEATER," issued Oct. 14, 1980. However, in the above Jacob et al. patent, two separate heat exchange systems are utilized in two different chambers isolated from each other by an insulated partition. The fluid-conveying coils in both heat exchangers may be isolated from each other, or placed in fluid communication with each other, by a set of thermostically-controlled valves.
Furthermore, although the Jacob device is designed to be mounted upon a roof in heat transfer relationship with the attic, nevertheless there is no teaching in Jacob of a solar collector device particularly constructed and adapted for straddling the ridge of a double-sloping roof.